Anti-vibration structure for cooling fan

ABSTRACT

An anti-vibration structure for cooling fan includes a frame, a hub assembly, and an anti-vibration unit. The frame includes at least a first, a second, a third, and a fourth sidewall. Any of the four sidewalls is connected at two opposite ends to respective one end of two adjacent sidewalls, and a radially inward recess is formed at each joint of any two adjacent sidewalls. The hub assembly is mounted in the frame. The anti-vibration unit includes at least one main body, and the main body has one side adapted to fitly engage with the recess. The anti-vibration unit absorbs vibration produced by an operating cooling fan to thereby reduce noise and allow the cooling fan to have increased operating stability and prolonged service life.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an anti-vibration structure, and more particularly to an anti-vibration structure for cooling fan, so that a cooling fan can operate with reduced noise and increased stability, and have prolonged service life.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Presently, electronic elements on a mainboard of a computer, such as the central processing unit (CPU), have constantly increased operating speed, and therefore produce a relatively high amount of heat during the high-speed operation thereof. Under this condition, a heat-dissipating device is needed to quickly dissipate the high amount of heat produced by the electronic elements during the operation thereof, so as to ensure continuous normal operation and extended service life of the electronic elements.

Among different heat-dissipating devices, a cooling fan is able to quickly dissipate the heat absorbed by a radiating fin assembly to enable good air circulation and heat dissipation effect, and therefore becomes an indispensable part of a computer.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional cooling fan 1, on which four fixing holes 11 are provided. When installing the cooling fan, a plurality of screws (not shown) is directly extended through the fixing holes 11 into the radiating fin assembly or a computer case (not shown), so as to firmly connect the cooling fan to the radiating fin assembly or the computer case. However, the above-described installing manner does not always ensure that the cooling fan 1 has been fully tightened in place by the screws.

When the cooling fan 1 is started to dissipate heat, it also produces vibration while rotating at high speed. The vibration is transferred to the radiating fin assembly or the computer case, causing the radiating fin assembly or the computer case to resonate. Therefore, after a long period of time of operation, the cooling fan 1 tends to become loosened from and strike against the radiating fin assembly or the computer case to produce noise.

In brief, the conventional cooling fan has the following disadvantages: (1) producing relatively large vibration; (2) producing bothersome noise due to resonance effect; (3) screws tightened thereto tending to loosen therefrom; (4) having shortened service life; and (5) having poor operating stability.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop an anti-vibration structure for cooling fan, so as to overcome the problems in the conventional cooling fan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an anti-vibration structure for cooling fan, so that a cooling fan can operate with reduced noise and increased stability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-vibration structure for cooling fan, so that a cooling fan can have prolonged service life.

To achieve the above and other objects, the anti-vibration structure for cooling fan according to the present invention includes a frame, a hub assembly, and an anti-vibration unit. The hub assembly is mounted in the frame. The frame includes at least a first, a second, a third, and a fourth sidewall. Any of the four sidewalls is connected at two opposite ends to respective one end of two adjacent sidewalls, and a radially inward recess is formed at each joint of any two adjacent sidewalls. The anti-vibration unit includes at least one main body, and the main body has one side being shaped for engaging with the recess. The anti-vibration unit absorbs vibration produced by an operating cooling fan to thereby reduce noise and allow the cooling fan to have increased operating stability and prolonged service life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a conventional cooling fan;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an anti-vibration structure for cooling fan according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, showing an anti-vibration structure for cooling fan according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the anti-vibration structure for cooling fan includes a hub assembly 20, a frame 30, and an anti-vibration unit 40. The hub assembly 20 is mounted in the frame 30, and normally internally provided with electromagnetic driving elements, including a stator, a rotor, etc., for driving blades spaced along and radially outward extended from a circumferential face of the hub assembly 20, so that the blades rotate to produce airflows to carry away heat produced by electronic elements.

The frame 30 includes at least a first sidewall 301, a second sidewall 302, a third sidewall 303, and a fourth sidewall 304. Any of the four sidewalls 301-304 is connected at two opposite ends to respective one end of two adjacent sidewalls. A radially inward recess 310 is formed at each joint of any two adjacent side walls, and at least one notch 320 is formed on each of the four sidewalls 301-304 to communicate with one adjacent recess 310.

The anti-vibration unit 40 includes at least one main body 410. The main body 410 has one face adapted to fitly engage with the recess 310 and thereby absorbs a vibration force produced by the cooling fan during the operation thereof. In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are four main bodies 410 included in the anti-vibration unit 40. However, it is understood the number of the main bodies 410 is not limited to four. Preferably, the number of the main bodies 410 is the same as that of the recesses 310.

The main bodies 410 of the anti-vibration unit 40 are engaged with the recesses 310 in a tight-fit relation. In other words, the main bodies 410 can be connected to the recesses 310 by supersonic welding and many other ways, such as clamping, rabbet joint, gluing, etc. Since vibration produced by the operating cooling fan is absorbed by the anti-vibration unit 40, the cooling fan can have reduced noise, increased operating stability, and prolonged service life.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the frame 30 defines a first opening 331, a second opening 332 opposite to the first opening 331, and an air passage 333 communicating the first opening 331 with the second opening 332. Airflows produced by the blades on the hub assembly 20 pass through the first opening 331 or the second opening 332 into the air passage 333 and then flow out of the frame 30 via the second opening 332 or the first opening 331.

The main bodies 410 of the anti-vibration unit 40 are made of a rubber material or any other materials with vibration absorbing and cushioning ability. Each of the main bodies 410 is provided at two lateral ends with an outward projected extension 430 each. The extensions 430 correspond to the notches 320 formed on the sidewalls 301-304. The extensions 430 each have a plurality of grooves 431 formed thereon.

Each of the main bodies 410 of the anti-vibration unit 40 is provided with a mounting hole 420 axially extended through the main body 410. A plurality of fastening means, such as screws, can be separately extended through the mounting holes 420. To assemble the cooling fan to a thermal module (not shown) or to an electronic element, simply apply a force to screw the fastening means into the mounting holes 420 to connect to the thermal module or the electronic element.

The following describes an example of using the anti-vibration structure for cooling fan according to the present invention.

When the hub assembly 20 brings the blades thereon to rotate, air is caused to flow through the first opening 331 into the air passage 333, and then moves in a direction defined by the air passage 333 toward the second opening 332, and finally flows to the thermal module via the second opening 332, enabling heat exchange between the air and the thermal module to thereby achieve the purpose of quick heat dissipation. Meanwhile, vibration force produced by the hub assembly 20 when the same continuously rotates at high speed is absorbed by the main bodies 410 of the anti-vibration unit 40. Thus, the anti-vibration unit 40 not only effectively reduces the vibration force produced by the cooling fan, but also reduces noise produced during the operation of the cooling fan. As a result, the cooling fan with the anti-vibration structure of the present invention can have increased operating stability and prolonged service life.

With the above arrangements, the anti-vibration structure for cooling fan according to the present invention has the following advantages: (1) capable of reducing the vibration produced by an operating cooling fan; (2) capable of reducing the noise produced by the operating cooling fan; (3) enabling the cooling fan to have prolonged service life; and (4) enabling the cooling fan to operate with high stability.

The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. An anti-vibration structure for cooling fan, comprising: a frame having at least a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall; any of the first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls being connected at two opposite ends to respective one end of two adjacent sidewalls, and a radially inward recess being formed at each joint of any two adjacent sidewalls; a hub assembly being mounted in the frame; and an anti-vibration unit including at least one main body, and the main body having one side adapted to fitly engage with the recess.
 2. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame defines a first opening, a second opening opposite to the first opening, and an air passage communicating the first opening with the second opening.
 3. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sidewall each are provided with at least one notch communicating with one recess adjacent thereto.
 4. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 3, wherein the main body is provided at two lateral ends with an outward projected extension each; and the extensions being corresponding to the notches formed on the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sidewalls.
 5. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 4, wherein the extensions each have a plurality of grooves formed thereon.
 6. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is engaged with the recess in a tight-fit relation.
 7. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is engaged with the recess by supersonic welding.
 8. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 6, wherein the main body is engaged with the recess by supersonic welding.
 9. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is engaged with the recess by a manner selected from the group consisting of clamping, rabbet joint, and gluing.
 10. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 6, wherein the main body is engaged with the recess by a manner selected from the group consisting of clamping, rabbet joint, and gluing.
 11. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body of the anti-vibration unit is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a rubber material and any other material with vibration absorbing or cushioning ability.
 12. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body of the anti-vibration unit is provided with a mounting hole axially extended through the main body.
 13. The anti-vibration structure for cooling fan as claimed in claim 9, wherein the main body of the anti-vibration unit is provided with a mounting hole axially extended through the main body. 